The Final Stand
by SilverWiccan
Summary: The End of Days is upon us. The Final Battle between Good and Evil that will decide the fate of man and demons alike. Can the Scoobies, with the help of the Fang Gang and the Brits, stop the Final Apocalypse?
1. Introduction and Recap

The Final Stand - Intro  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: C'mon, you know they're not mine. Maybe if I close my eyes and wish really hard they will be……… oh my God, they are!!… wait, wait, no. That was just a piece of lint. They're still Joss', who by the way, is not going to sue me because he's just such a great guy.  
  
  
  
AN: This story takes place about 4 years from current Buffy and Angel seasons. The Scoobies are about 25, and Dawn is 19. This first chapter is just a sum-up of what's happened between then and now.  
  
  
  
Previously, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel;  
  
1 In London  
  
Giles returns to live in England, where he eventually becomes head of the Watcher's council when Quentin retires. He dates Olivia (you remember her from Hush) briefly, before they decide that they just aren't right for each other, and she becomes his London Scooby.  
  
Ethan Rayne, whom we last saw being captured by the initiative, spent years being studied by them before they discovered that all his evilness was a residual spell left from the whole Eigon thing. The spell was removed, and Ethan returned to London.  
  
There, he met up with Giles. It took almost a whole season for Giles to trust Ethan, but he finally did, and now Ethan is a card-carrying member of the London Scoobies, (who will now be called the Britties.)  
  
2 In Sunnydale  
  
Buffy eventually gets over her whole re-incarnation experience as Heaven begins to fade from her mind. She has a series of short relationships, none of them meaning anything because she still loves Angel (duh). She finally quits the DMP, goes back to school, and is now some kind of secretary by day, super slayer by night.  
  
Spike eventually gets over Buffy, and becomes more of a brother to her, as well as Dawn. There are a few tense episodes when his chip stops working, but Spike just doesn't have the heart of a killer anymore. After a while he realises that, even though he loves Buffy and Dawn and the Scoobies, there is no reason for him to stay in Sunnydale. He takes off for the great unknown, but calls home often, and shows up unexpectedly to visit the Summers girls. Buffy encountered a rumour of a blonde vampire saving humans in South America, which Spike vehemently denies to this day.  
  
Willow and Tara try to work it out, but decide to be friends instead. Tara moves on, and is now dating Autumn, a student at Sunnydale U who also happens to be part Piqurash demon, a benign demon who controls the elements. Autumn being only half Piqurash can control earth, wind, fire, and water, but only for short periods of time, on a small scale. Tara continues to study magic, becoming more and more powerful. Her aura, however, remains white, with no traces of black magicks.  
  
Willow wanted to start doing small magicks again, but was afraid that she would head back down the same path. A powerful triumvirate of warlocks cleansed her aura and purified her spirit when they passed through Sunnydale, and then attempted to open the Hellmouth. Once they were defeated, Willow began to worry. Since they were evil, perhaps they hadn't really helped her. She decides to leave, to go on a journey to learn how to control her powers, much like Oz did before her.  
  
Willow is gone for almost a year before coming home. During her travels, she stops in London, and has a brief fling with Ethan before continuing on. In Bangladesh, Willow finds what she is looking for, meeting a shaman who helps her. She returns to Sunnydale, and with Tara's help, begins safely practising magic.  
  
Xander is heartbroken over the loss of Anya, who enjoys a brief stint as a vengeance demon, and an affair with Ethan, before returning to the Scoobies as a human. Her and Xander stayed friends for a while, but on the anniversary of their "wedding", they got back together. They decided to take things slowly.  
  
Dawn graduates high school, and is enrolled in her first year at Sunnydale U. When she turned 16, Spike decided that she should learn to defend herself, and she is now a passable fighter. She also began exploring some of her powers as the key, and discovered that she could move herself and anything she was touching to another dimension. She is now very careful with this ability, after she and Xander spent a week in what ironically turned out to be Pylea.  
  
3 In Los Angeles  
  
Angel continues to seek his redemption day by day. He searched for Connor endlessly, and eventually kidnapped Sahjhan and forced him to take him to the dimension Holtz was in. Angel managed to save Connor. He tried to bring Holtz with them as they leave the dimension, but Holtz preferred to stay and die. Connor is now four, and they still live in the Hyperion.  
  
Wesley recovered from his slit throat, and did the smart thing for once by telling Angel exactly why he did what he did, and about the prophesies. Angel forgave him, and Wesley began to regain his trust. The Nyazian prophesies have not yet come to fruition, and Wesley believes that they never will, now that they are all on guard. As a protective measure, Wesley had the Transuding Furies (That Old Gang of Mine) place the same spell on the Hyperion as there is on Caritas.  
  
Cordelia continues to have the visions, and to be, well, Cordelia. She and the Groosalug were together for a while, but then Cordelia called it quits, and then proceeded to have a "thing" with Ethan while he was in town. Groo was heartbroken, and decided he could not bear to see his princess every day and not have her. Angel sent Groo to Sunnydale to help Buffy fight the good fight, and Groo promptly forgot about Cordelia when he fell in love with Dawn. They are still together.  
  
Fred and Gunn are sickeningly sweet to this day. Wesley got over Fred, and even gave her away at her wedding (to Gunn. You got that right?). After their first child (they named him Liam) was born, Gunn and Fred decided that Fred would no longer be an active member of the Fang Gang, meaning that she could research, and build things, but no fights or unnecessary danger.  
  
Lorne finally gave up on Caritas, after it was sacked for the umpteenth time. He still lives at the Hyperion, and now sees his private clients there.  
  
The newest member of the Fang Gang is actually a familiar face. His name is Daniel Osborne, but his friends call him Oz. Oz joined the Gang after his band disbanded due to death by demons in LA. Oz now has full control over the wolf, and uses it much like Angel vamps out in a fight.  
  
  
  
We join our protagonists on a warm July evening, a Tuesday, if I'm not mistaken (that can't be good).  
  
  
  
Feedback!!!!!! Please oh please oh please! 


	2. This Can't Be Good

The Final Stand  
  
Part One – This Can't Be Good  
  
Disclaimer: Just a story, yada yada yada, Joss is God, bla bla bla, I lose, hum hum hum, cry a little.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
So red. The sky. Red like blood. Bloody moon. Who would have thought that red was darker than black. Darker, but light. Running. Too many. Fight. Too many. Angel, gone but there. Who? So many faces, loved faces, hated faces, strangers' faces. Screaming. Bloody moon. So red. Red like blood. Giles……Willow…… Wesley…… Giles…Willow…Wesley…Giles  
  
WillowWesleyCordeliaXanderOzTaraGunnSpikeDawnBuffy…ANGEL!  
  
Buffy woke up in shock, as Cordelia slowly descended to the floor, and Lorne fell off his stool as the Quiquash demon kept on singing.  
  
Buffy looked up from the couch where she had been sleeping, and saw Dawn watching her in concern. Cordelia turned to Wesley with eyes round in terror. Lorne picked himself off the floor and ran into Gunn.  
  
DAWN/WESLEY/GUNN: What is it? What did you see?  
  
BUFFY/CORDELIA/LORNE: Uh oh, this can't be good.  
  
DAWN/WESLEY/GUNN: Why were you calling my name?  
  
BUFFY/CORDELIA/GUNN: This is definitely a bad.  
  
DAWN/WESLEY/GUNN: What did you see??!!??  
  
BUFFY/CORDELIA/LORNE:…The end of the world…..  
  
DAWN/WESLEY/GUNN: Again??!!??  
  
Cut to the Magic box, which is still owned by Anya. The current Scoobies are sitting around the table, looking at Buffy in concern.  
  
WILLOW: I'm not sure what to make of this. Demon activity is at an all time low, in Hellmouth terms. There aren't any signs.  
  
AUTUMN (trying to be helpful): I saw my Uncle Aldernahs last week, and he didn't mention that anything was out of alignment.  
  
TARA (hesitantly): M..m..maybe we should call Giles. I know we've been looking out for ourselves lately, but if this is as big as you say it is Buffy, then he might be able to help  
  
XANDER: Before we do anything, Buffy. – Are you sure?  
  
BUFFY (getting angry): How many times do I have to tell it! I'm sure. This isn't just going to be a regular Apocalypse either. Not like we've seen before. This is different. This is big, it's…  
  
Cut to the lobby of the Hyperion. Cordelia and Lorne are trying to explain to Wesley and Gunn, interrupting each other frequently.  
  
CORDELIA: … the end of days.  
  
WESLEY (patient, but slightly patronising): Cordelia, are you sure you're not just… overreacting? A little bit?  
  
Cordelia shoots him a murderous stare, but before she can retort, Lorne breaks in  
  
LORNE: 'fraid not SugarCakes. Cordy here is telling the gospel truth. We're talking catastrophe of Biblical proportions here. Time to start building an Ark, if you know what I mean.  
  
WESLEY: Yes, well. I find it rather strange that the both of you had the same vision at the same time. The Powers that Be usually don't work that way. Perhaps the message could have come from another source. Maybe something was trying to trick you.  
  
GUNN: Or maybe the Powers that Be picked both of you because this is so important. Maybe they wanted to make sure the message was heard.  
  
CORDELIA (looking up): What, so now you don't trust me any more??? I've been your messenger girl for 6 years, and all of a sudden you have doubts about me???  
  
Wesley, Gunn, and Lorne shift their feet uncomfortably as Cordelia yells at the Powers that Be. After a moment of awkward silence, Lorne starts again.  
  
LORNE: Anyways…I agree with Gunn here. This must be a really…  
  
Cut to a darkened board room, filling with people. A man stands at the front, making some sort of presentation.  
  
GLIES (frustrated):…big deal. This is a really really big deal. I don't know how else to explain this to you if you insist on dismissing all of the other proofs that we have amassed. Now, I don't care if you believe me or not. I'm making this our top priority.  
  
Ethan nods approvingly  
  
ETHAN: I'll take make a research coalition, Rupert. Half in the library, half on the street to see what we can dig up.  
  
GILES: Very good, Ethan. Everyone be on your guard. Something just doesn't…  
  
Cut to a rooftop overlooking the Los Angeles skyline. Two silhouettes are framed in the darkness.  
  
OZ:…feel right. It definitely feels…….wrong. Do you feel it?  
  
ANGEL: I do. Do you mind if we cut patrol short tonight? Something is off, and I don't like. Not one little…  
  
Cut to the inside of the Hyperion. The same group as before is standing there, now joined by Fred.  
  
LORNE: …bit. Cordy and I have told you what we saw, and what we plan to do. Are you in or out? What's it going to be children?  
  
WESLEY (grim but resolute): Grab all the scrolls, any pertinent prophesies, and pack a bag. We'll leave…  
  
Cut to a London flat, with two men and one woman inside.  
  
GILES:…immediately. I've already booked tickets. Is everyone…  
  
ETHAN (interrupting): yes. Ready to leave on your order.  
  
OLIVIA: Rupert?..Ethan? Will one of you please tell me what's going on?  
  
GILES: Pack your bag Olivia. We're leaving, and we might not live to return.  
  
OLIVIA (looking scared): Where are we going Rupert?  
  
GILES: Hurry, hurry! We don't have any…  
  
Cut to a military base. Figures in black stand outside a transport, watching the officer who is clearly in command speak into his walky-talky  
  
RILEY: …time to waste. My squad is leaving right now, and we'll rendezvous in…  
  
Cut to inside a tent. It's dark and smoky with incense. A blond figure and a hooded one sit around a table containing a single crystal ball. The blond figure looks horrified.  
  
SPIKE:… Sunnydale. 


	3. The Gang's All Here

The Final Stand  
  
Part 2 – The Gang's all Here  
  
Disclaimer: Look, do I have to do this every time? I know they're not mine, you know they're not mine, and if Joss starts thinking that they might be mine, I'm not one to correct him. Let's just assume from now on that they don't belong to me. If, one day, I boot up the computer, and miraculously discover that they are mine, I'll let you know.  
  
**************************************************************************** *****  
  
The Sunnydale Scoobies are all sitting inside the Magic Box. Since they are wearing different clothes than before, let's assume that it's a different day, and not just inconsistencies in the show (because that would never happen).  
  
Willow is sitting at the table, searching for…anything… on her laptop. Anya is working at the cash, keeping the store open despite their impending doom, while Tara helps a customer at the back. Xander and Autumn are interrogating what seems to be a demon made of rainbows, while Buffy meditates nearby, trying to have another "helpful" vision. We hear grunting, and notice that the Groosalug is training in the background. Dawn is not there, so we can assume that she is in class.  
  
BUFFY: Urgh!!! It's just not going to work.  
  
XANDER: Cause if it takes longer than 30 seconds, it's just not worth doing, right Buff?  
  
BUFFY: Uhhhh, right? Should I try again?  
  
Autumn finishes with the Rainbow Demon, and makes her way over to Buffy and Xander as it disappears.  
  
AUTUMN: No. I don't think that it will help. The Powers the Be don't usually just tell you what they mean. That would be *too easy*.  
  
Willow looks up from her laptop  
  
WILLOW: She's right.  
  
Willow closes her laptop and goes over to the group  
  
WILLOW: There's nothing on the net. No strange occurrences, no mysterious disappearances. Nothing out of the ordinary. (turns to Autumn) What did your Uncle Aldernahs say?  
  
AUTUMN: Well, nothing incredibly helpful. He has no idea what's going on, and neither does anyone he's talked to, but there definitely is something going on. He says that he can sense it, but he can't make sense of it. And.. now that he's mentioned it, I feel it too. Not strongly, but I'm only half demon. It's like, a pull. Stronger than the Hellmouth usually is. Something is calling demons here.  
  
BUFFY: I don't get it. If all the baddies are being pulled towards Sunnydale, why is it a ghost town when I patrol? If all the big bads are here, then why aren't they… you know… acting, well, bad?  
  
Cut to an underground lair of some sort. A large group of vampires and other miscellanious demons are gathered.  
  
VAMP 1: I'm hungry. Tell me again why we have to stay here  
  
Vamp 2 is clearly annoyed, as if this is not the first time the question has been asked. He also seems much older and wiser than Vamp 1.  
  
VAMP 2: I told you already, you fool.Our day of glory is almost upon us. If you do not fast, you will not be worthy. And another thing. Do you really want to risk bringing the Slayer down on our heads? Until our leader arrives, we will not be able to defeat her and her gang of thugs.  
  
VAMP 1: Oh yeah. Well…. Why can't you just be our leader? I'm mean, you seem all old and wise and shit.  
  
Vamp 2 backhands Vamp 1, sending him to the ground  
  
VAMP 2: Impertinent pup! I would never dare…  
  
He lowers his arm to strike again, but it is caught in midair, and he is thrown against the wall.  
  
DRUSILLA: Hush hush boys. If you fight, you'll wreck our party. Besides, (evil grin) Daddy's almost here. (begins dancing around the room) The moon makes promises and hints of things to come. Whispers beautiful evil in my ears and in my dreams at night. Psh Psh Psh. We're going to have a family reunion Miss Edith, and it will be the best ever. Do you know why? Because it will be the last.  
  
Cut to the Magic Box. The Scoobies are in full research mode. Dawn walks in from the back room  
  
DAWN: No answer.  
  
BUFFY: Did you try his flat? The Council office? Olivia's place?  
  
DAWN: Yes, yes, and yes. There's no answer.  
  
BUFFY: I don't like this. Not at all. Where could Giles be?  
  
GROO: Excuse me for interrupting Buffy. I do not know Mr. Giles as well as you do, but might I suggest that he is standing in the doorway?  
  
Buffy whips around, and sees that Giles is in fact standing in the doorway.  
  
BUFFY: Giles!  
  
Buffy runs over and hugs him, follow closely by Xander, Willow, Tara, and Dawn, who all enclose Giles in a bear hug. Giles, however, maintains his cool by being British.  
  
GILES: Hello all. I'm sorry, but this isn't just a social visit. I don't know how to put this, but it's…(pauses for dramatic effect) The End of the World.  
  
The Scoobies look at him for a moment  
  
BUFFY: Oh good then, you know.  
  
GILES (surprised and disappointed): What? Oh, yes, well. You already know.  
  
WILLOW (helpfully): Buffy had a dream.  
  
GILES: Right then. So, what do we know?  
  
XANDER: How 'bout a big pile-o-nothing, served with a steaming sidedish of nada and for dessert…  
  
GILES (interrupting, and good-naturedly annoyed): Thank you Xander for your…… insight. I brought some resources with me from London, but I'm afraid that…  
  
Suddenly, Giles is interrupted as the door is flung open, and a smoking blanket runs in.  
  
SPIKE: Bloody hell! Somebody shut the door. Close the blinds! You're gone for less than 6 months, and suddenly people lose all consideration for…  
  
Spike is interrupted by Dawn's joyful cry as she throws herself on him  
  
DAWN: Spike! You're back! I missed you! Did you bring me anything?  
  
SPIKE: Is that all you can… well yeah. Here.  
  
Spike tosses her a trinket, and turns to the rest of the Scoobies  
  
SPIKE: I don't have time for small talk. We have to stop… The End of the World. (dramatic pause)  
  
Spike sees their utter lack of surprise  
  
SPIKE: Bloody hell. Don't tell me you knew already! Sod it! I should have taken my time, had a smoke, and drink, a shower, and not RISKED MY LIFE IN THE BLOODY SUN FOR YOU UNGRATEFUL ROLLEYS!  
  
Just then, Spike is shot in the shoulder with a tranquilizer dart  
  
SPIKE: Bloody hell. This just isn't my day.  
  
Spike passes out, as a large troop of people in black with guns burst through the front door and surround the room. One of them speaks into his walky-talky.  
  
SOLDIER: It's clear General. There was a hostile, but we took him down, and are preparing to terminate him on your say so.  
  
A blond man and brown haired woman appear in the door  
  
RILEY: Ah, tell me you didn't, Agent Garner (sees Spike on the floor, and turns to Soldier in exasperation) Did you, or did you not read the Sunnydale briefing? Speak up!  
  
SOLDIER: Uh…uh… well, I glanced through it.  
  
RILEY: I thought so. Hostile 17 has been reclassified as Non-hostile, and you were instructed to ignore his demonic nature. Why do I bother to write those if nobody reads them?  
  
SOLDIER SUCK-UP: I read them Sir.  
  
  
  
Riley ignores this, and turns to Buffy, who is helping the newly conscious Spike up from the floor. Groo moves forwards threateningly  
  
GROO: Buffy, I do not like these men with their modern weapons. And they have injured my blond vampire friend. Would you like me to kill them and present you with their heads as trophies?  
  
Buffy appears to ponder this for a minutes, while Riley and the commandos all take a big step back.  
  
RILEY: I'm really, really, really sorry Buffy. And I guess you too Spike. (gestures towards the woman beside him). You guys remember Sam. You're probably wondering what we're doing here.  
  
XANDER: Not so much. Unless it's because of anything but the end of the world.  
  
Riley, Sam and the commandos look at them blankly.  
  
RILEY: Actually, it's because our nearby units were reading some weird ultrasound vibrations coming from this vicinity, and I figured that it was probably the Hellmouth. … … So the world's ending huh?  
  
They are interrupted yet again as another flaming blanket tries to enter the front door, cries out in pain and frustration, and finally sends people flying out of the way and dives behind the counter. There is just barely enough room for the new group of people that enter behind it  
  
ANGEL: Is my hair on fire? I think my hair's on fire. 


	4. So, uh, Now What do We Do?

The Final Stand  
  
Part 3 – So, uh, now what do we do?  
  
Disclaimer: Guys, I had an epiphany last night. If I keep these characters in my heart, then they really do belong to me! Oh, no, wait. I guess not. Sorry.  
  
AN: Thanks so much for the feedback. Keep it coming. It makes me do the dance of happiness.  
  
  
  
There was a moment of stunned silence as the groups looked at each other. Suddenly, Spike doubled over in convulsions of laughter, and ended up rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach. Finally, he managed to gasp out his two cents in between peals of laughter  
  
SPIKE: Maybe you might use less product. I hear it's pretty flammable.  
  
The overzealous commando fingered his trigger (hey hey hey! Minds out of the gutter!). Groo, seeing this, stepped in between him and Angel  
  
GROO: This is my other vampire friend. If you harm him in any way, I will do the dance of retribution. Not only will I cut off your head, but I will mutilate your body as well.  
  
A recovered Angel came up from behind the counter, and whispered something in Groo's ear. Groo's eyes lit up.  
  
GROO (triumphantly): Thank you Angel. (turns back to commando) In this dimension, it appears that cutting off your head will suffice.  
  
RILEY: Stand down soldier. All of you. This is a non-hostile code blue situation.  
  
This earned Riley several looks of disgust from the vampires and various Scoobies. The groups broke into excited chatter/bickering, and it was impossible to hear anything over the din. Buffy, who until this point had been silent, stepped forward  
  
BUFFY: Angel.  
  
The room quieted. Angel's light-heatred-ish manner dropped immediately as he faced his beloved.  
  
ANGEL: Buffy. (pause) Sorry to just burst in like that. It's just that, Cordy. She had a vision. And Lorne here (pointing), well, he did too. And now that I'm back in Sunnydale, things definitely don't feel right. I think its…  
  
WESLEY (stepping forward, ever the drama queen, God love him): It's the end of the world.  
  
BUFFY: Uh huh.  
  
SPIKE: Sorry to ruin your big entrance Peaches, but this tune is getting a little old.  
  
Angel narrowed his eyes and growled almost imperceptibly at his GrandChilde. Spike took a step back, visibly cowed, and then mentally berated himself for still being subordinated by Angel after hundreds of years.  
  
RILEY (trying to ease the tension turns to Oz): So, how's that werewolf thing working out for you?  
  
OZ (in an Ozish fashion): Well, the hours are lousy, but the pay is pretty good. Oh, and bonus – I grow my own winter coat. How's life as a commando treating you?  
  
RILEY (flummoxed (AN: don't you love that word?)): Oh, uh… well… the pay's nice, and I get to travel a lot. (warming up to the subject) And it's a really family oriented occupation. I can bring my wife, and any eventual kids with me. And its really not as dangerous as everyone thinks…  
  
As this exchange was going on, the tension in the room dropped about 5 levels, and smaller conversations broke out.  
  
**  
  
GILES: Good to see you old man. I have a rather fascinating version of Neopoluthus' Chronicles that I wanted to show you  
  
WESLEY: Sounds smashing. I brought my Nyazian Texts. I thought we might be able to find am applicable prophecy.  
  
**  
  
GROO: Hello Princess. I am glad to find you well. Have you met my beloved?  
  
CORDELIA: Once or twice in real life. But I remember watching her grow up. How are you Dawnie? (hugs her)  
  
**  
  
GUNN: Xan-Man. How's it hanging? Do you remember that time we took on that Oscayrian demon with only a rusty saw?  
  
XANDER: We? I did all the work. So where's the wife?  
  
GUNN: She drew the short straw this time. Had to stay home with the kids. And Connor too. Angel didn't want him coming.  
  
**  
  
WILLOW: Ethan. It's nice to see you again. How are you? Have you met my friend Tara?  
  
ETHAN (looking all intense): Oh yes. I believe we know each other. In the Biblical sense, eh Tara?  
  
Tara nods, turns bright red, and busies herself with tidying the table. Willow looks confused, and then angry, and then resigned.  
  
**  
  
ANGEL (awkward): Buffy. How are you?  
  
BUFFY: Oh, um, I'm fine, You know, just another day on the wacky Hellmouth of Fun.  
  
**  
  
Lorne stands on the table, and hits a high note to get everyone's attention.  
  
LORNE: Sorry to burst your ear drums kids, but we're not here to get re- acquainted. We need a game plan.  
  
BUFFY (recovers her composure): Okay, here's what we're going to do. Chez Summers will be command central. Anyone who needs a place to stay can bunk up there. Everyone, get anything you need for research, and meet there. Riley, you and Sam are welcome, but your soldiers will have to go play somewhere else. I want everyone at my house. BEFORE sundown. Is that clear? We don't know what the big bads have cooking, but we don't want to find it out the hard way.  
  
GILES: Ethan and I took an early flight. Some of the other council members will be arriving tommorrow or the day after. Can I send them straight to your house?  
  
ANGEL: My group will be staying at the abandonned mansion. We'll just go get settled, and then we'll be at your house.  
  
DAWN (pulling on Angel's sleeve): Uh, Angel? (once she has his attention, she whispers) They tore that mansion down. We have room at our house. (Seeing his hesitation) Don't worry. There'll be so many people there, you and Buffy won't even have time to not talk to eachother and feel weird about it.  
  
The groups dispersed. Two hours later, they were all at Buffy's house, crowded but comfortable in the living room. Gradually, all of the talking ceased, and everyone looked to Buffy and Giles for instructions. Buffy looks to Giles.  
  
BUFFY: So, uh, what do we do now?  
  
GILES ( cleaning his glasses): Oh, well, I imagine that we take any leads that we have, and research them.  
  
CORDELIA: But that's just it. There are no leads. All I saw was all of us, a lot of blood, and a final apocalyptic battle. I could even tell what time of day it was, the sky was so red.  
  
OZ: Maybe that just that.  
  
ALL: Huh?  
  
OZ: Maybe the visions were just to bring us all here, together. Maybe there will be more to go on later. You know, more instructions.  
  
WESLEY: Yes, well. Until we get more information, we'll have to do the best we can with what we have. Giles, would you help me with these translations?  
  
WILLOW: Okay, Cordelia. Why don't you come and tell me exactly what you saw, and I can cross reference it on the net.  
  
LORNE: If it truly does involve all of us, then I want to see everyone sing, one by one. I'll start with you, Angel, since you obviously have a big role in what' s to come. (off his look) We can go to the basement and close the door if we have to.  
  
BUFFY: Spike, you're with me. We'll go visit our friend Willy, and then do a quick graveyard sweep.  
  
DAWN: I'll make the coffee.  
  
Everyone heads off to their appointed tasks. Buffy passes Ethan on the way out the door  
  
ETHAN: Hello Buffy. Haven't seen you in a while.  
  
BUFFY (uncomfortable): Oh, Ethan. It's…… nice to see you.  
  
Buffy and Spike leave. Gunn, who saw the exchange, sidles up to Ethan  
  
GUNN: I didn't know that you and Buffy were on such friendly terms.  
  
ETHAN: Oh, I wouldn't call it friendship, but we go way back. I know Buffy VERY, (eyebrow wiggle) VERY well.  
  
Gunn backs away slowly. 


End file.
